Whispers Above the Wind
by nyann
Summary: mild tasteful ya()i, (might differ for the more imaginative) .... pairing Fugen/Taikoubou Fugen/Youzen and etc etc.
1. Whispers Above the Wind

Whispers above the Wind.  
  
Birds broke into flight when Fugen Shinjin opened his window. Wintry sunlight filtered down and gently warmed his face. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before glancing back at the shadow-shrouded bed.  
  
A figure tossed and turned on it, long soft strands of dark blue hair slicing across well-tanned skin. A smile fluttered across the sennin's face. Not even he himself could decipher what expression that smile was. It was not of happiness, nor of sadness. Fugen drew the curtains, blocking out whatever weak sunlight there was, leaving the entire room in muted half-darkness.  
  
"Good morning, Bou-chan."  
  
Taikoubou looked up from the scroll he was reading. Fugen stood in front of him, casting a shadow over the miniscule words. A knit appeared in Taikoubou's brow. There was something wrong with Fugen. He could sense it, but he could not put a name to it. There was something gripping onto his best friend's heart and it was worst than a fish hook.  
  
"Oh..Fugen…" Taikoubou rolled up the scroll slowly, his eyes affixed on Fugen. The sennin sat down slowly on the rock outcrop beside Taikoubou. Fugen looked very pale, his skin a stark contrast against the dark purplish garment he was wearing. His eyes looked tired and dull. Taikoubou leaned forward, his face concerned.  
  
"Are you alright?" Taikoubou lifted his arm to touch Fugen's pale cheek. Fugen shied away immediately, turning his head to glance at the swaying pine tree near them. Taikoubou's hand stopped in mid-air. Surprise alighted on his face.   
  
"I am fine, Bou-chan. I am…I think I should go and eat something…hot.." Fugen's fingers laced tightly together, until the knuckles turned white. He looked up and smiled. In his heart, Fugen knew it was so fake, so fake that his heart felt nauseated. Taikoubou nodded, although disbelief was apparent in his eyes.   
  
"I will go now, Bou-chan. I will see you later….during Genshitenson-sama's lecture."  
  
Fugen stood up and fled, his clothes flapping out behind him, like the broken wings of a mutilated butterfly. Sunlight caught something glittering on the sennin's ear. Taikoubou's fingers tightened around the scroll, crushing it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Best friends?"  
  
"Best friends!" Fugen beamed and twisted his littlest finger around Taikoubou's pinky. "Bou-chan and I will be best friends forever, won't we, Bou-chan? We will tell each other everything!"  
  
The two young men laughed and the wind blew autumn leaves around them.  
  
Best friends…  
  
Fugen sat alone on of the floating rock islands orbiting around Kon Ron Mountains. He put his hands to his head, twisting blue strands around his fingers. It was painful, the tug on his scalp, not as painful as this. He lied to his best friend. The dull ache grasped at his heart again, like the cold fingers of a corpse.   
  
The wind rose, blowing hair and garments, cutting into the skin of his cheek. He huddled to himself, hugging his knees. He wanted to cry, but to cry was to escape from reality. The wind laughed and whirled away merrily.   
  
"Fugen-sama."  
  
Fugen's head jerked up, but he looked straight ahead, fearing to turn. Something settled next to him. The wind returned, and with it, a sweet scent, and long strands of silky, dark blue hair. A hand, and five warm fingers laid themselves on his bare shoulder.   
  
"Last night…"  
  
Fugen stared straight ahead, not moving, not turning. The fingers gripped his shoulder, squeezing gently. The sweet scent came closer, together with smooth lips and moist tongue, slowly inching their way to his cheek. Fingers parted his hair, and the silky strands loped itself upon his body.   
  
"Fugen-sama…Why did you leave me there? I woke up all alone…." Warm breath traced its way into his ear, and rushed into his brain. "You left me there all alone…"  
  
The wind blew around them, singing a song with words which only Fugen would understand.  
  
A hand found its way to his jaw and deliberately rested there. Fugen's heart thumped. Sharp teeth nibbled on his earlobe, gently biting the brilliant earring that he wore there.  
  
"You are wearing my gift….I am touched!" The voice was happy and the lips kissed his neck in gratitude. "Did Su-suu see it?"  
  
Fugen did not answer. But the voice was satisfied, answer or not answer. The wind rose again, bringing with it, another familiar scent.  
  
Fugen pushed voice, lips, teeth and kisses away from him and staggered up.   
  
Bou..Bou-chan….  
  
Bou-chan was here. Bou-chan saw everything!  
  
Trembling, Fugen turned to face the voice.  
  
Only to see bare rock and feel the laughter of the passing wind. 


	2. Whispers Above the Wind II

Whispers above the Wind II  
  
"I love you, Fugen…"  
  
Taikoubou's smiling face came into view. His hand reached out, gently touching Fugen's cheek, bringing their lips close, so close, too close….   
  
"Bou-chan…"  
  
A kiss stopped whatever Fugen wanted to say. A tongue slowly, but surely, traced a wet path across Fugen's lower lip.  
  
"Fugen, you will love me as well, won't you?"  
  
Fingers traced the shell of his ear leisurely. A tingle fled down Fugen's spine. More fingers found their way into his clothing, lightly running their tips down his chest.  
  
"Bou-chan…"  
  
The fingers gripped flesh and Fugen winced in pain. He tried to wrench himself away from the tightening grasp on his chest.  
  
A dream?  
  
No…  
  
"Fugen Shinjin sama …."  
  
"Youzen kun!"  
  
Fugen's violet eyes turned frantic. Youzen grasped his shoulders, using his body weight to force Fugen onto the ground. Strands of hair slipped down from Youzen's head, winding themselves upon Fugen's body.  
  
"Fugen Shinjin sama …." Youzen bent down, his face directly above Fugen, his breath hot on the skin, his lips slightly parted, as if to kiss the trembling face beneath him. "It has been too long… Can I?"  
  
Fugen gulped, trying to move away. Youzen's fingers held him fast, like chains. He could not twitch a muscle and could only feel his heartbeat quicken as Youzen unhurriedly pushed away the purple garment, leaving his upper body bare.   
  
"I take it as a yes then?" Youzen breathed, leaning onto Fugen, his hand twining into the sennin's blue hair, stroking the scalp teasingly. A few licks followed, slipping down his neck, along his collarbone, circling, biting.  
  
Yes…  
  
No…  
  
Yes…  
  
Go ahead…  
  
Fugen's throat trembled with a soft moan. Youzen looked up from where he was, his tongue running across his lower lip, his dark purple eyes looking at the panting Fugen in concern.  
  
"Did I hurt you…?" Youzen pushed a few stray strands of sweat-drenched hair from Fugen's eyes. Fugen's hand reached out to touch Youzen's moist cheek, running a finger down, feeling the softness and the wetness of himself.  
  
The wind blew.  
  
No…  
  
Go on…   
  
Please…  
  
Fugen's hands slid from cheek to hair, twisting the long, sweet-scented strands around his arms and fingers. Unconsciously, he brought the hair close to him, drinking in the sweetness. He felt drenched in sugar, and the sugar became more and more, falling upon him like confetti. Somewhere amidst the sugar, he heard Youzen groan. A sharp whimper escaped from Fugen and he tugged at Youzen's hair, pulling the doushi up towards him, forcing his lips onto Youzen's breathless ones. Wetness filled his mouth, like sugar water, and he sucked onto it hungrily, his fingers gripping Youzen's naked neck. The other responded eagerly, pulling off the remaining clothing from himself, pulling the sennin tight to him, curling his arms around the lithe gasping body.  
  
Set me free…?  
  
Youzen lifted himself from Fugen's drenched body, rapture surging through his veins.  
  
More…  
  
A tongue ran down Fugen's sweat-soaked abdomen, sucking his bellybutton, and kissing its way down, greedy for the sugar.  
  
More…  
  
He was buried in soft warmth and it came and went, but was always there. He reached out, moving his palm down the sennin's shivering back, tracing a path, parting the sweat drops that gathered.   
  
I love you ….  
  
A twitching moan shuddered Fugen's lungs. Hands stretched out to brush the plastered wet strands of hair from his eyes. Fingers slipped into his mouth and he licked at them tasting salt now instead of sugar.  
  
Please !  
  
A scream erupted from Fugen, and a choked sob followed. Tears welled up in his eyes and he collapsed onto the sheets, the hot skin of his cheek sticking to the linen. Youzen breathed slowly, and moved away, his hands still touching the gasping sennin. The wet sheets stuck to the skin, the salt and sugar was heavy in the still air. Fugen's eyes could barely open.  
  
And when his eyes did…  
  
"I love you, Fugen…"  
  
Bou-chan…  
  
Outside the wind now howled. The leaves no longer swirled peacefully. 


	3. I walk alone....

I walk alone ...  
  
Taikoubou sat alone in his room. The lighted candle that stood upon the dark polished table glowed steadily, casting a ruddy glow on his expressionless face. He was not angry. He thought he would be. Then again, he tried to make himself angry.   
  
But he could not.  
  
His gut did not feel the deep seething acid of anger. Instead, a dead coldness welled up in him. He wanted to cry. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to feel something instead of this void within him. He felt like vomiting and he clutched his chest tightly, crumpling the yellow fabric beneath.  
  
Taikoubou could still see amidst those hateful falling strands of dark blue hair, Fugen's look of fear when he turned and saw through the door panels. When he saw Taikoubou standing outside, drenched by the rain, about to knock upon the door.  
  
Clothes still dripping wet, Taikoubou sat stone still on his chair, staring past the candlelight at the closed doors of his room. The rainwater dripped methodically down onto the wooden floor, wetting the area around him.  
  
Thunder roared across the skies. The lightening illuminated the shadowy silhouettes of the weeping willows outside. Taikoubou stared at each bright flash, eyes dulled with no thought.  
  
I hate him.  
  
Lightening streaked across the horizon, followed by a scream of thunder. His eyes trailed to his hands, and he tugged his gloves off, throwing them onto the wet floor. The skin on his fingers were wrinkled from the wet gloves. He pulled off his shoes and disgust gripped his face. His feet stank badly. Yet, the stink brought new hurt to his heart.  
  
Every night, Fugen would appear, without fail, bearing a basin of scented water and those wonderful soft towels that Taikoubou have no idea where the material came from. But he loved those towels, and how Fugen's delicate hands massaged his sore feet and washed them till they were pink and clean.   
  
'Bou-chan, you are so dirty tonight!'  
  
'It's the old man's fault.'  
  
'I don't like a dirty Bou-chan.'   
  
'You don't have a choice, Fugen.'  
  
'I will make you drink that water I washed your feet in!'  
  
Taikoubou laughed dryly. Fugen had choices now. And it was not him, he chose. Not him. 'Susuu.'  
  
A knock on the panels awoke Taikoubou. He glared at the shadow outside the papered doors. Lightening flared, brightening up the place for an instant, showing a tall figure outside, its strands of long hair wind-tossed.  
  
'Go away.'  
  
The doors creaked open. Taikoubou leapt up and slammed the doors shut, sliding the lock into place.  
  
'I said.' Taikoubou tried to still the anger seeping into his voice. He was angry now, and the fury was building up. 'Go away, Youzen.'  
  
A hand tried to push the door open. Taikoubou leaned against the jointing, the stink of his feet and the wet cold floor biting into his soles annoyed him further.  
  
'GO AWAY!' Taikoubou screamed through gritted teeth. He squeezed his eyes shut, putting the whole weight of his tired body onto the doors. He heard a muted sigh vanish and he finally relaxed a little, though his hands still clutched at the lock.  
  
'Bou-chan'  
  
Taikoubou's head jerked up. He spun around, staring into the shadowed corners of his room. Fugen stepped out.  
  
In his hands was the familiar wash basin, filled with violet flowers.   
  
'Come here, Bou-chan.'  
  
I hate you, Fugen  
  
Taikoubou left the doors and moved towards Fugen. The floor no longer felt cold, all thoughts of Youzen earlier disappeared.   
  
Fugen was here, that smile on his face, the soft glow of his halo in the darkness, like a candle that lighted his way.   
  
I hate you, Fugen  
  
'You are all wet, Bou-chan…' Fugen put down the wash basin and slowly lifted away Taikoubou's drenched outer garment. Making soft tching sounds, the sennin unbuttoned the rest of the inner clothing until Taikoubou stood half-naked and shivering.   
  
'Sit down, Bou-chan.' A towel was draped over his shoulders and his feet was put into warm scented water. 'You are dirty, Bou-chan…' A soft chuckle followed as fingers proceeded to clean his toes gently. A tingle danced down Taikoubou's neck. Thunder boomed again and the rain renewed, splattering loudly onto the cobblestones outside. Taikoubou stared down at Fugen kneeling on the wet floor, the water seeping into the sennin's white pants, making them translucent, making the fabric stick to the skin. Yet, Fugen did not move. He continued to wash Taikoubou's feet carefully, the radiant halo illuminating the bits of shadows between them.  
  
Taikoubou reached out and swept his fingers across the halo. A sharp warmth ate into his bones. Fugen looked up, hands in the water, violet-blue eyes curious.  
  
'Why did you do that, Bou-chan?'  
  
Taikoubou sucked in a huge breath and took his feet out of the water. Pushing the basin away, he knelt with Fugen, and took the sennin's wet hands, bringing it to his face.  
  
It stank of his feet, and smelt sweet of the violet flowers. He did not mind. Utter confusion appeared on Fugen's face. But the sennin kept quiet.  
  
'Bou-chan?'  
  
Taikoubou did not answer. He did not want to answer, nor did he see the need to. He pulled Fugen towards him, his arms winding around the sennin's neck.   
  
'Fugen…' He turned his mouth close to Fugen's ear and he whispered. 'I hate you.'  
  
With that, Taikoubou swiftly kissed Fugen's neck, sucking hard until a mottled bruise appeared. 


	4. Clipped Songs

Clipped Songs  
  
He was back on the orbiting rock outside Konron. Wind whistled past his ears, singing a song into his head. He buried his face into his huddled knees, his wings flapping behind him.   
  
Why is the wind so cold now?  
  
He peered up from arms hugging knees, blue-violet eyes hazy with tears, staring far ahead at the soft green of Konron Mountain, at the three red words inscribed into the green. Memories flitted back to him like hundreds and hundreds of colorful butterflies, the feathery wings caressing him, covering him with their warmth….  
  
Warmth.  
  
I wish there's something like that for me. I feel lonely. I often counted stars at night from my window. There are so many stars out there, and so bright they are. I always wonder are all of them as lonely as me?   
  
I am scared. But I won't tell anyone I am scared. I am scared of loneliness.   
  
I am afraid.  
  
I just need someone.  
  
Anyone.  
  
They all think that I am happy because I smile so much. No one could understand how much I long for someone to trust in, to smile truly to, to give myself to. I would do anything just to hear…  
  
I love you  
  
Anything.  
  
Burying himself into his arms, Fugen begin to weep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
--  
  
So, Youzen thought as he unzipped his upper garment, pushing it back until the ugly bruise was revealed on the shoulder of his mirrored image. This is how much you love him, Susuu.  
  
Snickering to himself, Youzen pulled back his garment and zipped it up deftly. A certain gloating rose in his stomach, and it felt good. He will visit Fugen Shinjin tonight and comfort the poor sennin.   
  
Youzen laughed softly and pushed back a stray strand of long hair. He always managed to have his way, no matter what method he used. It was the prize that mattered to him, not the process. A hundred men can die and Youzen would not even care.  
  
His susuu can die of heartbreak, and he will not even care.  
  
--  
  
Rough fabric suddenly touched his cheek, making him look up.  
  
'Bou-chan!' His voice wavered and he tried to move away. Taikoubou knelt in front of him, the expression of concern heavy on his face.  
  
'Fugen, you are crying.' He reached out to brush the tears dry.  
  
A hand reached out and clutched the sennin's shoulder, gently squeezing it. Fugen shivered. Another hand came, pushing tousled locks of blue hair from the trembling blue-violet eyes.   
  
What does Bou-chan want?  
  
Fugen's heart pumped. The wind cackled and rose to play with the doushi's clothing, making the blue garment flap wildly. Taikoubou was silent. He just stared at Fugen, his hand slowly sweeping the sennin's hair over and over again.  
  
'Bou-chan?' Fugen's voice came out in a squeak, an almost desperate squeak.  
  
'Fugen, why …'  
  
Fugen's fingers tightened into fists. His heart raced. He opened his mouth to say something but Taikoubou spoke first.  
  
'Why did you forgot to make that quilt you promised for me?'  
  
--  
  
'I did not forget, Bou-chan.' Back in his room, Fugen took out a finished pastel-colored quilt from the wicker chest and showed it to Taikoubou.  
  
The doushi's eyes lit up and he flung open the quilt, admiring the colors and the softness of the material, and the attentiveness Fugen shown, matching the colors he knew Taikoubou liked. And it smelt good too.   
  
Like violet flowers.  
  
As Taikoubou chatted and praised the quality of the quilt to a glowing Fugen, scheming thoughts ran through his mind.  
  
So, this is why you want to take him from me, Youzen.  
  
Taikoubou smirked inwardlys while exclaiming Fugen was marvelous to stuff the quilt with goose feathers. The sennin's cheeks blushed pink at the load of praise Taikoubou was heaping on him.  
  
You are very scared of losing, Youzen.   
  
This time, you lose.  
  
-- 


	5. I fell in love with you ... sadness, hap...

"I fell in love with you ... sadness, happiness, everything"  
  
Fugen Shinjin was not in his cave.  
  
Youzen was greeted by a lifeless, cold, unlit inner chamber. The doushi felt his way to the stone table in the middle of the parlour and found the candle. He lit it and the room took on a yellowish glow. Everything was neat the way it was and nothing was moved. On one of the walls, Fugen's landscape paintings took on a dull coppery finish in the candlelight. His books lined the mahogany shelf on the right. Those were meticulously dusted everyday to keep them in good condition. There was a half-drunk cup of tea on the table and a plate of red bean cake. Youzen lifted the teapot cap and found fresh brewed tea inside. But the pot was cold and the tea leaves were well settled at the bottom of the cup. He knew the sennin usually spent the nights in the parlour, reading and drinking tea.  
  
Tonight he was not here. Or rather, he was. And he was gone.  
  
Youzen seated himself onto the cushion covered stone bench and slowly poured himself a cup of the tea. He was not going to return back so early. His teacher informed him he will be out, so there will be no one back in the cave, he might as well spend the evening here and wait for Fugen. Taking a sip of the tea, he leaned back, placing a hand on the cushion. Youzen's eyebrows lifted. His hand touched a half-opened book on the bench. Curious, the doushi picked up the book and brought it closer to the candlelight.   
  
They were on the orbiting rock around Konron-san. Gyokutei Shinjin's face was a hard mask of emotions. The night wind rose and blew at the two sennins. Their garments flapped wildly, and the wind whirled the tiny pebbles on the surface of the rock.  
  
"Do I need to repeat myself again?" Gyokutei turned to stare at Fugen, his eyes glinting brighter then the stars behind him. The wind tore through his hair, making the black strands whip violently. "Stay away from my disciple, shitei…"  
  
Fugen wrung his hands tightly, so tight the tips of his fingers turned white. The sennin shook his head again, and he tried to steady his voice.  
  
"Gyokutei …."  
  
Gyokutei did not wait for Fugen to finish. Furiously, he drove his sword into the rock. Splits and cracks appeared from the sword point. Gyokutei glanced over his shoulder, eyes stone-hard, fixated on Fugen.  
  
"Love is not a plaything, Fugen Shinjin. Youzen is still young. I do not want him hurt in anyway, do you hear that? He does not know anything! If I see him cry again … I will .." Gyokutei's fingers curled around the hilt of his sword, his voice beginning to crack. "I will personally see that you pay for it."  
  
If I see him cry again …  
  
Youzen cried?  
  
With a confused expression on his face, Fugen clutched at Gyokutei's arm. "What do you mean by 'If I see him cry again?'. Youzen-kun, what happened to him?"  
  
Gyokutei flung Fugen's grip away, and pulled up his sword. Pointing the sword tip at the other sennin's throat, Gyokutei rasped. "He cried because of you, you cheater. You played with his love, and his feelings. He tried to kill himself because of what you did!"  
  
Kill himself ?  
  
But I didn't do anything!  
  
Bewilderment flooded Fugen's heart and mind. Whatever Gyokutei was saying, Fugen knew that it was not the truth. Youzen lied to his teacher. Youzen tried to twist the whole story around.  
  
But why?  
  
What did Youzen gain from doing all these. Fugen could not figure out an answer. Questions raced through his mind and it hurt him to think Youzen could betray him like thus. Lie like thus, and pretend to love him like thus? The cold wind clawed against his skin. Feeling weak and dizzy, Fugen steadied himself on a larger rock, and leaned against it, his head bowed and now oblivious to the trembling sword point of Gyokutei's pao pei.  
  
"Don't touch my disciple again…."   
  
"Gyokutei, listen to me. I didn't… He…"  
  
Rage overtook the other sennin suddenly and his sword flicked up, nicking a long cut across Fugen's cheek, just barely missing the eye. The shock and the pain made Fugen reel back, crumpling down against the rock he was leaning on.  
  
Clutching at his bleeding cheek, Fugen stared at Gyokutei horrendously. Gyokutei's sword trembled as a terrified expression came over his angry face. Fugen's blood dripped from the sword tip, spreading into a thin dark crimson stain upon the rock. Blood trickled down the sennin's cheek, quickly drying in the cold mountain wind, like a braided black mask etched on his face.  
  
"Gyokutei…" Fugen gasped.  
  
Without a word, Gyokutei turned and leapt down the rock.  
  
The cut was deep. Deeper than he thought.  
  
Just barely above slicing through his cheekbone. Blood welled up when he grimaced with the throbbing pain.   
  
Dragging himself up, Fugen tried to regain his composure. He was feeling dizzy again, from shock and the cold wind. The blood stained his clothing with rusty splotches. He had to get back to the cave and find some way to stop the bleeding. The Taikyokufuin manifested slowly in Fugen's hands. Taking in a wheezing breath, he soared off the orbiting rock. 


	6. Towards You

"Towards You"  
  
"Does it hurt?"  
  
The doushi winced, his face screwing up in pain. Fugen Shinjin carefully dabbed the powder onto the weeping wound, blowing away the excess that landed around the edge of the flayed skin. Gyokutei Shinjin hovered behind, his face anxious.  
  
"Can you get the poison out?" Gyokutei could not keep still. "Are you alright, Youzen?" He wanted to help, but felt so inadequate there and then. Youzen gave his teacher a painful grin and nodded his head slowly.   
  
Fugen brought out a bottle of pale green liquid from the cloth pouch on the rocky ground. He opened the bottle. A faint smell of mint pervaded the air. The sennin glanced at Youzen. A bead of sweat rolled down the doushi's forehead. Fugen patted the droplet away with the end of his sleeve.   
  
"This is going to hurt. Bad." The sennin warned. Youzen nodded and gritted his teeth. Worried, Gyokutei knelt down behind Youzen and gripped his disciple's shoulders.  
  
Fugen dripped the liquid onto the wound. Youzen had to clamp his hand over his mouth to keep from shrieking. The sennin held his hand to Youzen's thigh, his knuckles whitening as his fingers tightened over the bunched muscles, pushing the blood flow out of the wounded area.   
  
"Breath!" Fugen ordered, dripping more of the liquid into the wound. His fingers continued to clamp strongly on Youzen's thigh. "If you don't breath, you are going to force the poison back into your bloodstream again. Now start breathing!"  
  
Fugen's blue violet eyes stared hard at Youzen, bright and commanding. The doushi's own gaze wavered and he let out a popping gasp of pain and started drawing in deep breaths. Blood gushed from the open wound, mixed with the greeney liquid, and flowed down Youzen's leg and thigh, staining Fugen's hand a bright crimson. The stink of poison was thick. Gyokutei coughed and held his breath, feeling the poison bite into his lungs. Fugen quickly poured water over the wound, wetting the ground and almost all of Youzen's clothes. The poison and blood flowed away with the water. The doushi gasped in relief and slumped backwards against his teacher, his eyes closing tiredly.  
  
Gyokutei looked up at Fugen. The sennin's face was white and he was breathing heavily. Parts of his clothing was stained rusty brown with his disciple's blood. Beads of perspiration trickled down his temples and he paused to slow down his breathing.  
  
"Fugen…" Gyokutei spoke, his voice trembling. "Thank you."  
  
Fugen glanced at Gyokutei, and shook his head slowly.   
  
"This is only as much as I could do…" The sennin gazed at the sleeping doushi. "I will come and see him again at sunset, with some medicine. Keep him covered and warm."  
  
+++  
  
"Shishou….?"  
  
A warm hand gently moved the tendrils of hair from his sweating forehead. His eyes felt as if there were a hundred iron pots sitting on them. He was feeling very hot and his insides were burning. He wanted to fling off the covers and he tried. But a firm hand held the blankets back to him and tucked it tightly around his body.  
  
"It's hot, Shishou!" Youzen complained, trying to yank the blankets away. He was perspiring profusely and his nightclothes were sticking to his skin.   
  
The hand pulled the blankets back resolutely.  
  
"Shishou!" Youzen yelled, twisting out of the blankets and sitting upright, strands of hair plastering his face and neck and a totally drenched back.  
  
Fugen Shinjin smiled at him.  
  
"Fugen Shinjin sama?" Youzen stared at the smiling sennin incredulously. "What are you doing here in my room?"  
  
"Bringing you medicine, Youzen kun." Fugen stood up and brought back a tray. Atop was a small bowl of something dark. "You still need to drink this, everyday. To get that poison totally out."  
  
Youzen put a hand to his forehead and wiped away the gathered sweat. He could barely remember what Fugen did that day on the rock, pushing the poison out from his system. He could remember the horrible pain though.  
  
Whatever made him try to jump into that gorge and get those flowers? He knew his teacher liked those lilies when he casually mentioned it over dinner that week ago. The hazy aftermath of that event returned to him slowly. He was attacked by a beast below and, whatever creature it was, it mauled him badly. The beast's bite carried a strong poison that would have brought a slow death to him if not for this smiling sennin standing in front of him.  
  
He had never seen Fugen Shinjin before that very day he was hauled out of the gorge by the sennin. He heard a lot of this young man who rose so quickly to the rank of sennin, it almost seem impossible, from his teacher. Gyokutei seemed full of admiration for Fugen. Youzen never knew why. All the dinner conversations were usually dominated by Fugen's newest theories and ideas.   
  
His teacher seemed too fond of Fugen.  
  
Youzen grew suspicious and jealous. He wanted to be the only one in his teacher's heart. He wanted that love to belong to him only. He wanted his teacher to talk about him during dinner conversations, not about Fugen Shinjin.  
  
"I don't want it."  
  
Fugen's eyebrow lifted gently. He did not reply and left the tray and the medicine on the table. Pulling up a chair, the sennin sat down, hands on his lap and looked at Youzen. The doushi looked away immediately, pushing a wet strand of hair from his cheek.  
  
"I believe this is the first time we met, Youzen kun." Fugen begin in a pleasant tone, his blue-violet gaze affixed on Youzen's unfriendly pose. "Perhaps you do not trust me enough to want to drink that medicine. I don't blame you. But, Gyokutei wants you to get better. He has told me to try and make you drink it."  
  
Gyokutei  
  
A sneer curled Youzen's mind. He called my teacher by his name! Anger overcame that sneer and his fingers gripped the blankets forcefully. He looked away, staring at the opposite wall of his bed.  
  
Fugen stood up and made his way to the door. The sennin paused and glanced over his shoulder at Youzen. A ghostly smile flitted across Fugen's lips as he walked out of the room. 


End file.
